Event    From 7/9/1940  To /5/1941

The Blitz

Categories: Tragedy

During WW2 Britain came under heavy bombing from Germany for 8 months, 1940-1941. This was called 'the Blitz' from the German word Blitzkrieg meaning 'lightning war'. London was particularly badly hit, especially at the start, being attacked every day/night of the first 57 days, except one. The objectives were the destruction of industrial targets, and to break the morale of the civilian population. But the Blitz failed, on both fronts, leaving London with extensive physical damage but a new psychological weapon, the Blitz spirit.

This interactive map shows all of the bombs dropped on London during the Blitz.

2019: Spitalfields Life posted a number of central London buildings that bear the scars of war.

The Library Time Machine has a lovely post about the Home front volunteers in Chelsea, 1940s.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
The Blitz

Commemorated ati

Abbey Road Depot - WW2 ARP members lost

Bill Wallis is described on the plaque as 'ARP Stretcher Bearer'. Which we ta...

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Balham Station bombing - 1

In memory of the 64 people killed at this station by a wartime bomb 14th Octo...

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Balham Station bombing - 2

{Beneath the London Transport logo:} In remembrance of the civilians and Lond...

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Balham Station bombing - 3

In remembrance of the civilians and London Transport staff who were killed at...

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Bank Station WW2 bomb

{Above the London Underground roundel:} In remembrance of the fifty six peopl...

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Show all 53

Other Subjects

John Downing

John Downing

Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Jill Sinclair

Jill Sinclair

Businesswoman and record company director. Born London. married music producer Trevor Horn in 1980 and they had 4 children. She has been called 'one of the most successful people in the British mus...

Person, Commerce, Music / songs, Tragedy

1 memorial
Lidice massacre

Lidice massacre

Lidice is a village in the Czech Republic just north-west of Prague. Following the assassination of Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich, a high-ranking Nazi, the search for the culprits failed, desp...

Event, Tragedy, Czechoslovakia

1 memorial
Terry Hunt

Terry Hunt

Terence James Hunt was born on 12 December 1957 and lived in Chadwell Heath, Essex. He was a firefighter attached to Silvertown fire station who died, aged 33 years, on 10 July 1991 while fighting...

Person, Emergency Services, Tragedy

3 memorials
John Foreman

John Foreman

Construction worker killed in the fatal accident at Crystal Palace.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Giles Vernon Hart

Giles Vernon Hart

Telecommunications engineer and trades union activist. Born in Khartoum, Sudan. While working as an executive officer at Trinity House lighthouse authority, he set up a union branch. In the 1980s, ...

Person, Community / Clubs, Politics & Administration, Tragedy, Poland, Sudan

4 memorials
Company Sergeant Major Sydney George Ellis Jones, MC

Company Sergeant Major Sydney George Ellis Jones, MC

Sydney George Ellis Jones was born in 1888, one of the five children of Thomas Jones and Mary Ellen Jones. His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1888 in the Peckham registration district. ...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Philip Henry Gosse

Philip Henry Gosse

Zoologist.  Born Worcester.  1827 sailed to Newfoundland where his interest in entomology began.  He also travelled to Alabama and Jamaica studying the local natural sciences, returning to London i...

Person, Religion, Science, Canada, Jamaica, USA

1 memorial
Charles Holden

Charles Holden

Architect. Born Bolton. c.1897 he moved to London and worked briefly for C. R. Ashbee. 1899 he moved to H. Percy Adams' practice where he stayed for the rest of his career. c.1906 moved to Harmer G...

Person, Architecture

13 memorials
Corporation of the City of London

Corporation of the City of London

The municipal governing body of the City of London. Officially the 'Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London'. In 2006 the name was changed from just 'Corporation of London' to disti...

Group, Commerce, Politics & Administration

184 memorials